1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to inventory management systems for consumable supply items. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing controlled access to supply items and automatically determining changes in inventory levels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various systems are known for providing controlled dispensing and inventory management for a variety of items. For example, in the medical field, systems are known for providing controlled access and inventory management for pharmaceutical supplies. Similarly, there are known systems for accurately managing inventory levels for raw materials and work-in-process materials in a manufacturing environment. However, in each of these instances, the inventory items are characterized by a relatively high per-item cost. Therefore, it is economically feasible to employ complex systems to accurately manage inventory levels and/or control dispensing of the items.
In contrast, the inventory of supply items characterized by a low per-item cost is typically managed by physical inspection of the quantity of items present. Although these types of supply items, such as office supplies or industrial supplies, are utilized by a large variety of businesses, the use of known controlled inventory systems is not economically justified in these low per-item cost applications. As is known, inventory control by physical inspection may be unreliable and often results in depletion of certain supply items before a restocking order is generated.